Combination bullet press and ammunition reloader tool



A. L. WELCH Sept. 29, 1964 COMBINATION BULLET PRESS AND AMMUNITIONRELOADER TOOL Filed Aug. 16, 1963 INVENTOR.

AR THUR L. WELCI-Y'." I

United States Patent 3,150,558 CQINATIGN BULLET PRESS AND AMMUNITEUNRELOADER TOGL Arthur L. Welsh, Box 731, Wasiila, Alaska Filed Aug. 16,1963, Ser. No. 302,556 7 Claims. (Cl. 86-23) This invention relates to acombination small arms cartridge reloader and bullet forming press.

The invention has as its principal object a simple power applicationmeans employing a well known and readily available electric drill motor,or a common fractional horse-power electric motor as the source of powerfor operating the same. The power operation becomes possible because ofa novel crankshaft and link arrangement which imparts reciprocatingmotion to a slidable diecarrying-rarn enclosed in a guide sleeve.

Other objects and advantages or the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and drawings which form a part of the presentspecification.

FIGURE 1 is a view in front elevation of the combination tool of thisinvention, some parts in section;

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation of the tool of 'FIG. lysome partsbroken away for clearness;

FIGURE 3 is a view in side elevation of an electric drill motor, usedhere With this toolas a source of power for operating the same, andattached to a sprocket;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantiallyon line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the operating end ofthe clutch of this invention, and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, side view, of an alternative power drivingmeans.

The press frame is of Well known construction and style having an openended, normally substantially vertically disposed guide sleeve 40rigidly attached at approximately right angles to a base 42 adapted tobe fastened to a bench or table, and having parallel support posts 43anchored to said base 42 and guide sleeve assembly. A frame head 41 isrigidly attached, or is integrally formed with, the upper ends of saidsupporting posts 43. This frame head 41 is adapted to selectively andinterchangeably carry a variety of well standardized and readilyavailable cartridge case reworking and bullet forming dies 29,

shown dotted by FIGURES l and 2.

A pair of links are provided, having holes within each end portionthereof, the holes in the upper ends of the links being of a size to fitthe stationary stub shafts 37 and 38 anchored in coaxially placed holesin the stub shaft supporting lugs 16, arranged at right angles to theaxis of the guide sleeve 40. The shafts 37 and 38 are press-fit intohorizontal holes drilled into the side wall of sleeve 40, allowing theram 44 to pass vertically between the ends of the shafts 37 and 38. Theholes in the 'lower ends of the links are of a size and formed tojournal with the two horizontal extending rotatable stub or power shafts14 and 17 of a single throw crankshaft, having two depending crank arms11 and 13 which have a single crank pin 12 extending between the endportions thereof. Said shaft 14 being a mechanically driven shaft. Saidshaft 17 being adapted to receive a manual operation handle 45 for usein setting up dies, or possibly for use with only a few cartridges. Theinner adjacent ends of the shafts 14 and 17 of the single crankshaft arerigidly secured to the upper ends of said crank arms 11 and 13, shown inFIG. 1.

A shell holder carrying ram 44 is slidably disposed in the guide sleeve40 and has its lower end journalled to the crank pin 12. The links 15are of such length that when the crank-pin is at bottom dead center ofthe crank-shaft, the upper end of the ram 44 is somewhere near the topend of the guide sleeve 40, that is, near the bottom of "ice its stroke,in a location convenient for the loading of cartridge components orbullet parts into the shell holder or die attached to the top end of theram 44. When the crankpin is at top dead center, the rams upper end issomewhere near the die carrying frame head 41, or at its top strokeposition; shown dotted in FIG. 1.

When the crankshaft is turned mechanically by a source of power to bedescribed later, or by the handle 45, the crankpin imparts an axialsliding movement to the ram 44. While the ram 44 is near the center ofits travel the lower ends of links 15 are substantially motionless; theyare moving relatively little. The crankshaft and large sprocket arependulous, a swinging or oscillating type means for converting rotarymotion of the crankshaft to reciprocating motion of the ram 44.

It shall be observed, however, that when the crank pin has approachedthe point in its travel, near either top or bottom dead center, Wherethe links 15 start the arcuate movement toward the axis of the ram,movement of the ram 44 is considerably retarded and the leverage ratioapplying axial force to the ram 44 is considerably multiplied.

This dwell period of crankshaft and toggle action is a very importantfeature of my invention, allowing the use of fractional horse-powermotors to perform operations requiring a relatively large force toperform.

The mechanical operating mechanism consists of a relatively small drivensprocket 19 driving a relatively large sprocket 18 through a chain 20which is adapted to transmit the power as required by the press, saidsmall sprocket 19 having a hub portion 21. The small sprocket isjournalled on the outer end of the stationary stub shaft 38 whichsupports the upper end of one of the links 15, and said small sprocketis formed with an extending shaft 22 provided with a free end adapted tobe gripped by the three jaw clutch 46 of the small drill 47; shown byFIG- URES 1 and 3.

It is obvious to one familiar with power transmission that a fractionalhorse-power electric motor 47 driving the driven sprocket 19 through aV-belt and a pair of properly ratioed V-pulleys can be used ot operatethe press.

The power source, drill motor or electric motor, will normally be leftrunning between operations of the press. The driving sprocket 19transmits its power to the press crankshaft by means of a chain 29adapted to transmit power to a driven sprocket 13 journalled to rotatefreely on an extension of the stub shaft 14 of the single throwcrank-shaft. The said sprocket 18 is located on the stub shaft betweentwo inner and outer snap rings 48 and 4%.. respectively.

One half of a jaw-clutch 25 is drivably attached to the inner side ofthe driven sprocket 18. The second half of the jaw-clutch 26 is slidablykeyed to the stub shaft 14 by key 24. A groove 50 extends at rightangles to the axis of said jaw-clutch 26 and is formed on the innersurface thereof adjacent crank-arm 11. A head 51 is formed on the outersurface of link 15 adjacent jawclutch 26, and to one side of stub shaft14. This bead 51 remains stationary upon link 15 and provides aninclined plane which moves the slidable jaw clutch 26 member intoengagement with the power jaw-clutch 25 member attached to the drivensprocket 18.

The inclined plane arrangement of head 51 is effected by manuallyturning the crank shaft by actuation of handle 45 on shaft 17, until thejaw-clutch 26 engages the jawclutch 25. The link 15 adjacent the handle45 has a hub portion 52 equipped with a bore embodying a coil spring 54pressing a ball 55 into a semi-circular indentation 56. This ball holdsthe handle 45 in one position when the jaw-clutches 25 and 26 aredisengaged. This prevents accidental turning of the handle, engaging thejawclutches, and operation of the press.

An alternate method of driving the press is through the use of gears,see FIG. 6. By substituting gears as and 62 for the sprockets l3 and 19and by cutting away several teeth on the crankshaft gear 69 the presswill be driven through one complete cycle by the pinion gear 62 equippedwith only a few number of teeth and secured upon the free end 22 ofshaft 37.

When said pinion gear 62 comes to the gap in the gear 60, the press willstop. The pinion gear 62 is continuously driven by the prime mover. Anew cycle is started by rotating the crankshaft by manually operatingthe handle 45. It is clearly seen that the ram 44 can be positioned atany point in its cycle by travel by locating the cutaway teeth gap onthe gear till. In the event an operation is performed on the downstroke,as for instance inserting a new primer in cartridges, or loading a newjacket-core combination, stopping the ram somewhere above the lowerlimit of travel is desirable.

While specific embodiments of the combination tool of the invention havebeen shown and described, it is to be understood that all substantiallyequivalents of said embodiments are within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described having a frame comprised of a base, aguide sleeve having a vertical cylindrical bore therein and secured tosaid base, a pair of supporting lugs with horizontal bores thereinattached to said base and depending therefrom at a distance on oppositesides of said guide sleeve, a pair of stub shafts arranged with theirouter ends extending through said bores in said supporting lugs and withtheir inner ends secured in transverse holes arranged in the side wallsof said guide sleeve, a ram slidably disposed within the verticalcylindrical bore of said guide sleeve, and means for moving said ramWithin said guide sleeve comprising a pendulous supported crank-shaftembodying a crank-pin, two crank arms and two outwardly extending powershafts, and having the crank pin thereof journaled with the lower end ofsaid ram, a pair of swinging links pivotally connected at their upperends to said stub shafts, one of said links assembled between said guidesleeve and each of said supporting lugs at a substantial distance aboveand in alignment with the journal point of connection between said ramand said crank pin, said links having their lower ends pivotallyconnected to the said outwardly extending power shafts of saidcrank-shaft, said links and said crank arms being so disposed that thepivot point between the links and power shafts of the crank-shaft aresubstantially in alignment with the axis of the ram when the ram is attop and bottom of its stroke, said crank-arms being outwardly disposedlaterally from said guide sleeve and said power shafts being disposedoutwardly from the crank-pin and its point of connection with said ramwhen said ram is midway the top and bottom of its stroke, and a drivingmeans secured to one of said power shafts to rotate said crankshaftsupported in a pendulous manner converting rotary motion of thecrank-shaft to linear reciprocating motion of the ram.

2. A device of the class escribed having a frame comprised of a base, aguide sleeve having a vertical cylindrical bore therein and secured tosaid base, a pair of supporting lugs with horizontal bores thereinattached .to said base and depending therefrom at a distance on oppositesides of said guide sleeve, a pair of stub shafts arranged with theirouter ends extending through said bores in said supporting lugs and withtheir inner ends secured in transverse holes arranged in the side wallsof said guide sleeve, a cylindrical ram slidably disposed within thevertical cylindrical bore of said guide sleeve, and means for movingsaid ram within said guide sleeve comprising a pendulous supportedcrank-shaft embodying a crank-pin, two crank arms and two outwardlyextending power shafts, and having the crank pin thereof journalled withthe lower end of said ram, a pair of swinging links pivotally connectedat their upper ends to said stub shafts, one of said links assembledbetween said guide sleeve and each of said sup porting lugs at asubstantial distance above and in vertical alignment with the journalpoint of connection between said ram and said crank pin, said linkshaving their lower ends pivotally connected to the said outwardlyextending power shafts of said crank-shafts, said links and said crankarms being so disposed that the pivot point between the links and powershafts of the crank-shaft are substantially in alignment with the axisof the ram when the ram is at top and bottom positions of its stroke,said crank-arms being outwardly disposed laterally from said guidesleeve and said power shafts being disposed outwardly from the crank-pinand its point of connection with said rain when aid ram is midway thetop and bottom position of its stroke, an electric motor connected to adriving means secured to one of said power shafts to rotate saidcrankshaft supported in a pendulous manner below said base of saidframe.

3. A device of the class described having a frame comprised of a base, aguide sleeve secured to said base and having a vertical bore therein anda pair of transverse holes arranged in the side wall thereof at theupper end, a pair of shaft supporting lugs having horizontal circularbores therein attached to said base and depending therefrom at adistance on opposite sides of said guide sleeve, a pair of stationarystub shafts arranged with their outer ends extending through said boresin said shaft supporting lugs and with their inner ends secured in thesaid transverse holes arranged in the side walls of said guide sleeve, acylindrical ram slidably disposed within the vertical bore of said guidesleeve, and means for moving said ram within said guide sleevecomprising a pendulous supported crankshaft embodying a crank-pin, twocrank-arms and two outwardly extending power shafts, and having thecrank-pin thereof journaled with the lower end of said ram, a pair ofswinging links pivotally connected at their upper ends to said stubshafts, one of said links assembled between said guide sleeve and eachof said supporting lugs at a substantial distance above and in alignmentwith the journal point of connection between said ram and said crankpin,said links having their lower ends pivotally connected to the saidoutwardly extending power shafts of said crank-shaft, said links andsaid crank-arms being so disposed that the pivot point between the linksand powershafts of the crank-shaft are substantially in alignment withthe axis of the ram when the ram is at top and bottom of its stroke,said crankrms being outwardly disposed laterally from said guide sleeve,and said powershafts being disposed outwardly from the crank-pin and itspoint of connection with said ram when said ram is midway the top andbottom of its stroke, and driving means for said device including adrivin chain, a drive sprocket in meshing engagement with said chain andhaving a hub portion thereof with a horizontal bore therein rotatablymounted u on the free end of one of said stationary stub shafts, saiddrive sprocket having a drive shaft rigidly secured therewith andextending outwardly therefrom in axial alignment with said stub shaft, adriven sprocket in meshing engagement with said chain and mounteddirectly beneath said drive sprocket and upon the outer end of one ofsaid power shafts, said driving shaft on said dri 'e sprocket adaptedfor use with electric motor means.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said electric motor meansconsists of a portable electric hand drill.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein an automatic clutch ismounted upon one of said power shafts with an element thereof rigidlysecured to said driven sprocket.

6. The device according to claim 5 having a manual operable handleoperating means mounted upon one of said power shafts for use when saidautomatic clutch is not in engagement.

7. In a portable small arms cartridge reloader and bullet forming pressadapted for use with an electric hand drill, a frame comprising a base,a guide sleeve having a vertical cylindrical bore therein and secured tosaid base, a pair of shaft supporting lugs having horizontal circularbores therein attached to said base and depending therefrom at adistance on opposite sides of said guide sleeve, 21 pair of stub shaftsarranged with their outer ends extending through said bores in saidshaft supporting lugs and with their inner ends secured in transverseholes arranged in the side walls of said guide sleeve, a ram slidablydisposed within the vertical cylindrical bore of said guide sleeve, andmeans for moving said ram within said guide sleeve comprising apendulous supported crank-shaft embodying a crank-pin, two crank-armsand two outwardly extending power shafts, and having the crank-pinthereof journaled with the lower end of said ram, a pair of swinginglinks pivotally connected at their upper ends to said stub shafts, oneof said links assembled between said guide sleeve and each of saidsupporting lugs at a substantial distance above and in alignment withthe journal point of connection between said ram and said crank pin,said links having their lower ends pivotally connected to the saidoutwardly extending power shafts of said crank-shaft, and a drivingmeans for operating said device with the said crank-shaft supported in apendulous manner including a driving chain, a drive sprocket in meshingengagement with said chain and having a hub portion thereof with ahorizontal bore therein rotatably mounted upon the free end of one ofsaid stationary stub shafts, said drive sprocket having a drive shaftrigidly secured therewith and extending outwardly therefrom in axialalignment with said stub shaft, a driven sprocket in meshing engagementwith said chain and mounted directly beneath said drive sprocket andupon the outer end of one of said power shafts, said driving shaft onsaid drive sprocket adapted for use with a portable electric hand drill,and clutch means mounted upon one of said power shafts with a partthereof rigidly secured to said driven sprocket.

No references cited.

1. A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED HAVING A FRAME COMPRISED OF A BASE, AGUIDE SLEEVE HAVING A VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL BORE THEREIN AND SECURED TOSAID BASE, A PAIR OF SUPPORTING LUGS WITH HORIZONTAL BORES THEREINATTACHED TO SAID BASE AND DEPENDING THEREFROM AT A DISTANCE ON OPPOSITESIDES OF SAID GUIDE SLEEVE, A PAIR OF STUB SHAFTS ARRANGED WITH THEIROUTER ENDS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BORES IN SAID SUPPORTING LUGS AND WITHTHEIR INNER ENDS SECURED IN TRANSVERSE HOLES ARRANGED IN THE SIDE WALLSOF SAID GUIDE SLEEVE, A RAM SLIDABLY DISPOSED WITHIN THE VERTICALCYLINDRICAL BORE OF SAID GUIDE SLEEVE, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RAMWITHIN SAID GUIDE SLEEVE COMPRISING A PENDULOUS SUPPORTED CRANK-SHAFTEMBODYING A CRANK-PIN, TWO CRANK ARMS AND TWO OUTWARDLY EXTENDING POWERSHAFTS, AND HAVING THE CRANK PIN THEREOF JOURNALED WITH THE LOWER END OFSAID RAM, A PAIR OF SWINGING LINKS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPERENDS TO SAID STUB SHAFTS, ONE OF SAID LINKS ASSEMBLED BETWEEN SAID GUIDESLEEVE AND EACH OF SAID SUPPORTING LUGS AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ABOVEAND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE JOURNAL POINT OF CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID RAMAND SAID CRANK PIN, SAID LINKS HAVING THEIR LOWER ENDS PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO THE SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDING POWER SHAFTS OF SAIDCRANK-SHAFT, SAID LINKS AND SAID CRANK ARMS BEING SO DISPOSED THAT THEPIVOT POINT BETWEEN THE LINKS AND POWER SHAFTS OF THE CRANK-SHAFT ARESUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF THE RAM WHEN THE RAM IS ATTOP AND BOTTOM OF ITS STROKE, SAID CRANK-ARMS BEING OUTWARDLY DISPOSEDLATERALLY FROM SAID GUIDE SLEEVE AND SAID POWER SHAFTS BEING DISPOSEDOUTWARDLY FROM THE CRANK-PIN AND ITS POINT OF CONNECTION WITH SAID RAMWHEN SAID RAM IS MIDWAY THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF ITS STROKE, AND A DRIVINGMEANS SECURED TO ONE OF SAID POWER SHAFTS TO ROTATE SAID CRANKSHAFTSUPPORTED IN A PENDULOUS MANNER CONVERTING ROTARY MOTION OF THECRANK-SHAFT TO LINEAR RECIPROCATING MOTION OF THE RAM.